This video is a little overview of the notable personalities and events in the Midwestern United States. It mainly focuses on the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. This was the hot bed of pro-wrestling in the twentieth century from featured matches in Des Moines and Omaha to the TV days shot in Chicago to the period covered here. I also included a feature about football players turned pro-wrestlers, which fit this video well. From college stars to the NFL, many left the ranks of football for pro-wrestling.
Opening Reel (St. Louis - Pat O'Connor, AWA - Verne Gagne vs. Billy Robinson, WWA - Dick the Bruiser & Bruno Sammartino vs. Ernie Ladd & Baron Von Raschke w/ Bobby Heenan, Detroit - Sheik vs. Bobo Brazil, Kansas City - Harley Race vs. Bobby Duncum in a cage); AWA group shot; Promoter montage (Gagne, Bruiser, Bruiser-Sheik marquee, Sheik praying - audio from Abdul Farouk, Sam Muchnick - Dick Murdoch* & Larry Matysik*, Program from the Keil, Bob Geigel with partner Bob Brown); Adrian Adonis*, East-West Connection (Adonis & Jesse Ventura); Larry Zbyszko (Larry Nelson*), Rick Martel, Mark Lewin and The Sheik; Mad Dog Vachon*, Vachon & Raschke, Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels*), Larry "The Axe" Hennig and son Curt Hennig*; Gene Okerland* interviewing EWC; Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) vs. Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan); Ventura (audio) posing, Hogan-Ventura arm-wrestling; Pampero Firpo*, Bulldog Bob Brown (Jim Kent*), Crazy Luke Graham, Bobo Brazil vs. Ivan Koloff, Mighty Igor, Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel, Ray Bastien & Hercules Cortez, Billy Robinson; Ox Baker*, Killer Brooks, Bull Curry, Abdullah the Butcher, Tiger Jeet Singh vs. The Sheik in an Indian Mud Match; Harley Race, Race's Diving Headbutt, David Von Erich (Matysik*), The Crusher* w/ Dick the Bruiser, Eddie Creatchman*, Abdul Farouk, Lord Alfred Hayes* armbars Bob Ellis, Bobby Heenan* w/ Blackjack Lanza, Bockwinkel and being choked by Stevens
Football Segment
Jerry Blackwell* with Jim Kent, video footage of wrestlers vs. football players charity game (featuring Bronko Nagurski); Ernie Ladd x3, Dr. X ("The Destroyer" Dick Beyer); Superstar Billy Graham* biting Dusty Rhodes; Big Bill Miller, Bob Backlund's Atomic Drop on Stan Hansen, Fritz Von Erich's Iron Claw; Hard Boiled Haggerty* (from "The Wrestler"), Wahoo McDaniel* x2, Nick Bockwinkel* with a headlock on Dory Funk Jr.; Gene Kiniski*, Kiniski & Fritz; Kiniski & Wilbur Snyder; Poster for Snyder & Bill Watts vs. Chain Gang; The Baron*; Watts; Greg Gagne* & Jim Brunzell (The High Flyers); Verne Gagne*; Ric Flair; Dick the Bruiser photos & armbar on Bobo; West Texas State Alumni: Terry Funk* x2, Dory Funk Jr. (shaking hands with Jack Brisco); Bob Windham*, Barry Windham & Blackjack Mulligan; Tully Blanchard, Bobby Duncum*, Ted Dibiase, Manny Fernandez, Stan Hansen* x2, Dusty Rhodes x2, Bruiser Brody x2 (audio), Texas Outlaws (Rhodes & Murdoch) from "The Wrestler"
**I understand I left out many people and perhaps included others too much. I tried to balance between these five very different promotions. There was a lot of overlap in terms of featured talent in these promotions. Obviously the history of all of them could warrant an individual video, but hopefully this package is enjoyable. I am an amateur pro-wrestling historian and amateur videographer. Please view my website if you'd like to access more information about any of these promotions, their histories or the individuals who made these promotions**